Thoughts to excite, alarm or foil paradigms, senses of humor, and imagination although not always in that order.
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool."
-Richard P. Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics 1965.

Monday, August 04, 2008

The 'Littorals' - Part 2 - Submarines and NASDS

Last month M.E. posted The 'Littorals' - Part 1 - Submarines and Surface Craft, noting that SSNs and SSGNs are littoral combat ships in every sense of the word short of directly landing troops or SEALS. SSNs and SSGNs can piggyback SEAL delivery vehicles, however.

The Advanced Seal Delivery Sysytem (ASDS) was designed for stealthy long-range insertion of Special Operations Forces on covert or clandestine missions. Previous mini-subs were wet types, exposing Combat Swimmers to hypothermia during long, relatively slow transits and their electronic equipment to salty moisture that could degrade combat readiness.

Is it expecting too much for our SEALs to have something like this (vacuum vapor deposition) polymer coating protecting their sensitive equipment? Amazing video:

From waterproof coatings to landings...

Do you know why submarines carry ASDSs with props aft (Navy photo)? Are you certain that launching is the reason? Have you thought about the recovery process (docking)? What if the ASDS were propelled silently with the fast and efficient swimming motion of an ocean fish? Hmmm!

Publicly, the ASDSs were withdrawn from production for excessive costs and critical flaws. GlobalSecurity lists inadequate battery, propellor and other noise impediments to stealth requirements. The RoboTuna swims (no prop noises) and goes farther and faster on a standard battery charge.

Curiously, the RoboTuna (video linked here) has the potential to eliminate all of those issues in a fuel efficient, fast, and silent AUV system with which the Navy has announced its desire to build a new submarine. Is the new sub the Navy has in mind an ASDV ( NASDV )?

About Me

Former submariner, later an investigator and audit manager. Currently, in an entrepreneurial mode. I have never missed a chance to vote (except local elections while at sea)and will continue to vote as an independent.